Australia has joined global leaders in praising US President Donald Trump for brokering a long-awaited ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, marking what officials in Canberra have described as a “historic breakthrough” toward peace in Gaza.
In a joint statement issued on 9 October 2025, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Foreign Minister Penny Wong welcomed Trump’s announcement that both sides had signed the first phase of a peace plan to end more than two years of conflict.
“After more than two years of conflict, hostages held and a devastating loss of civilian life, this is a much-needed step towards peace,” the statement read.
“Australia has consistently been part of international calls for a ceasefire, the return of the hostages, and the unimpeded flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza.”
The Albanese government thanked President Trump for his diplomatic efforts and acknowledged the key contributions of Egypt, Qatar, and Türkiye in delivering the agreement. The statement also reaffirmed Australia’s strong support for “denying Hamas any role in the future governance of Gaza” and for continuing efforts toward “a just and enduring two-state solution.”
Acting Prime Minister Richard Marles described it as “an incredible achievement on the part of Donald Trump, one that will be remembered by history.”
In Melbourne, around 1,000 members of the Jewish community gathered at the Beth Weizmann Jewish Community Centre in Caulfield to watch live footage of the final 20 hostages being released by Hamas. Emotional scenes of families reuniting brought cheers and tears of relief, while the crowd applauded as Air Force One landed at Ben Gurion Airport carrying President Trump, who addressed Israel’s parliament shortly after.
Eda Klapisch, the daughter of Holocaust survivors, said her relief was mixed with sorrow for the human toll:
“No one wanted this. No one wanted to be held for 738 days, nobody wanted to be bombed to smithereens. If we can find peace, the people of Israel will be the first ones to sign.”
Another Melburnian, Malka Lawrence, called the moment “a huge relief” but expressed frustration at the political inaction over the past two years:
“They could have stopped all this much earlier,” she said. “There’s enormous gratitude, but also disbelief that it took this long.”
According to Palestinian health authorities, over 67,000 people, including 20,000 children, were killed during Israel’s two-year military campaign launched after Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attacks, which left about 1,200 Israelis dead and 250 taken hostage.
Despite the devastation, the day was seen by many as a turning point. As Klapisch put it: “Thank God we’ve reached this step. If peace is possible, we’ll be the first to embrace it.”
